EU slaps visa ban on Belarus President and aides

The European Union (EU) has banned Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and 30 ministers, prosecutors and regional election officials from entering the 25-nation bloc.

EU foreign ministers, meeting in Luxembourg, said they had sanctioned them for allegedly rigging Belarus's March 19 presidential polls and for a crackdown on opposition activists.

The EU did not freeze the assets of the banned individuals for now but warned it may do so later, possibly as early as next month and asked the executive European Commission to propose further targeted measures.

Mr Lukashenko, sworn in on Saturday (local time), was number one on the visa-ban list, followed by his head of presidential administration, Gennady Nevyglas, the ministers of education, information and justice, as well as the chairman of the lower house of parliament and the head of the KGB security service.

Others named include the prosecutor-general, several judges and prosecutors, the country's seven regional election officials and the head of the state television and radio company.

Belarus dismissed the visa ban and threatened to take similar measures against top EU officials.

"The European Union and the United States cannot alter the choice made by the Belarusian people," the foreign ministry said in a statement in Minsk.

"Belarus finds itself obliged to take appropriate retaliatory measures against the EU and the United States.

"In accordance with international practice, they will affect similar categories of persons."